ORIGINAL ARTICLE
STUDY OF PLATELET INDICES IN PREGNANCY INDUCED
HYPERTENSION (PIH)
Nirmala T1, Vani B R.2, Murthy Srinivasa V.3, Deepak kumar B.4,
Geetha R L5, Kumar Pradeep L.6,*
1Junior
resident/ PG Student, 2,4Associate Prof., 3Prof. & HOD, 5Asst. Prof., Dept. of Pathology,
ESICMCPGIMSR, Rajajinagar, Banglore.
*Corresponding Author:
E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Background: Hypertension is one of the common medical complications of pregnancy and contributes
significantly to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Hypertension is a sign of an underlying
pathology which may be pre-existing or appear for the first time during pregnancy. Various haematological
changes like numerical and functional platelet abnormalities, alteration in haemoglobin and erythrocyte
parameters and increase in the procoagulant state of normal pregnancy are seen.
Aims and Objectives: Evaluation of Platelet indices in PIH. To identify the early platelet parameters predictive
of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome.
Materials and methods: A 2 year study was carried out in the Dept. of pathology ESIMC, Bangalore on 100
PIH cases. Platelet indices is done in all the cases. P values for all parameters were statistically derived and
evaluated.
Results: Total of 100 cases were included in the study. 37 were mild GH, 9 cases were severe GH, 29 cases
were mild preeclampsia and 25 cases were in severe preeclampsia group. Thrombocytopenia was observed
in 23 cases and elevated MPV in 49 cases.
Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia is identified as the most common complications of PIH and at times may be
life threatening. Therefore estimation of platelet indices can be considered as an early, simple and rapid
procedure in the assessment of severity of pre-eclampsia and to prevent progression to HELLP syndrome and
DIC.
Key Words: Hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, Platelet indices.
INTRODUCTION
Hypertension is one of the serious
complication of pregnancy with an incidence
of 5% to 7% of all pregnancies and is a
leading cause of maternal and foetal
morbidity, particularly in cases with
preeclampsia and eclampsia. It may also
present with superimposed chronic vascular
disease.[1,2] Preeclampsia is a major cause of
preterm birth and it is also an early marker
for future cardiovascular and metabolic
diseases in the newborns.[2-6] According to
NHBPEP Working Group PIH is categorised
as,[7]
1. Preeclampsia-eclampsia.
2. Chronic hypertension of any cause.
3. Preeclampsia
superimposed
on
chronic hypertension.
4. Gestational hypertension.
Majority of the cases with chronic
hypertension have uneventful gestations as
long as their blood pressure remains under
control. In contrast, preeclampsia is
associated with many serious complications.
Thus, early diagnosis of preeclampsia and
differentiating it from other causes of
hypertention in pregnancy has a important
role in the management.[8]
Preeclampsia
is
primarily
characterized
by
hypertension
and
proteinuria.
[>300
mg/24
hours]
Preeclampsia may also be accompanied by
rapid weight gain and edema, appearance of
coagulation or liver function abnormalities.[8]
Severe peeclampsia is characterised
by blood pressure
>160/110 mm Hg,
nephrotic
range
proteinuria,
sudden
oliguria, neurologic symptom like headache,
hyperreﬂexia
and
laboratory
tests
demonstrating
thrombocytopenia,
hemolysis, or abnormal liver function,
although the magnitude of proteinuria alone
Indian Journal of Pathology and Oncology, January – March 2015;2(1);25-30
25
Kumar P. et. al.
as a predictor
questioned.[9, 10]
Study of Platelet Indices in Pregnancy Induced…
of
severity
has
been
The eclamptic convulsion, which is a
life-threatening
complication
of
preeclampsia, was once associated with a
maternal mortality of 30% in developing
nation has now reduced due to early
diagnosis and effective management of
PIH.[11, 12] Platelet indices is one of the early,
economical and rapid procedure for
assessing the severity of PIH.[13]
Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy
induced hypertensive women may be due to
increased consumption of platelets or due to
adherence of platelets at the site of damaged
vascular endothelium resulting in secondary
destruction of platelets.[14, 15]
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Evaluation of Platelet indices in PIH.
To identify the early platelet parameters
predictive of preeclampsia and HELLP
syndrome.
hypertension and associated co morbid
diseases such as diabetes mellitus, auto
immune disorders, ITP, neoplastic diseases,
heart diseases and cases on anti-coagulants
were excluded from the study.
PIH cases were classified in to following
categories:
A. Gestational hypertension. 1) Mild
gestational hypertension, 2) Severe
gestational hypertension.
B. Preeclampsia. 1) Mild preeclampsia, 2)
Severe preeclampsia.
After obtaining consent, under
aseptic precaution, venous blood was
collected in EDTA vacutainer tube. Sample
was tested for platelet indices [platelet
count, MPV, PDW and PLCR] with fully
automated 5 part differential hematology
analyser-TRANSIA Model-XT-2000i.
Statistical Methods: Analysis of variance
(ANOVA), Chi-square/ Fisher Exact test has
been used.
Statistical
software:
The
Statistical
software namely SAS 9.2, SPSS 15.0 were
used.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was carried out in the
department of Pathology, ESIC-MC PGIMSR,
Rajajinagar, and Bangalore from October2011 to September-2013. One hundred
cases diagnosed as PIH with Blood Pressure
of ≥ 140/90 mm of Hg detected after 20th
weeks of gestation were included in the
study. Clinical details were collected from all
cases.
The
cases
with
pre-existing
RESULTS
One hundred cases diagnosed as PIH
were analysed for platelet indices. Of 100
cases majority i.e. 45% of the patients were
of the age group 26-30 years. (Table. 1) The
age of the youngest patient was 19 years and
that of oldest was 35 years.
Table 1: Age wise distribution of cases.
Age in years
16-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
Total
Number of patients
07
39
45
9
100
21 to 25 years is the commonest age
group for gestational hypertension (G H),
both mild (16cases) and severe (4cases). An
equal number of severe G H was also seen in
the 26 to30 age group. Mild and severe pre-
%
07.0
39.0
45.0
9.0
100.0
eclampsia was more frequent in the 26 to 30
age group, (16 and11cases respectively).
This probably indicates that severity of
complications increases with the age of the
patient. (Table. 2)
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26
Kumar P. et. al.
Study of Platelet Indices in Pregnancy Induced…
Table 2: Table showing age wise distribution of various categories of PIH cases
Age in
years
16-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
Total
Mild GH (n=37)
Severe GH (n=9)
Mild Preeclampsia (n=29)
No
2
16
14
5
37
No
4
4
1
9
No
2
10
16
1
29
%
5.5
43.2
37.8
13.5
100.0
%
44.4
44.4
12.2
100.0
Of the hundred PIH cases, Sixty one
cases (61%) were prim gravida and
remaining Thirty nine cases (39%) were of
multi gravida.
In the present study both GH and
mild preeclampsia cases were asymptomatic
whereas 9% of the cases with severe
preeclampsia had headache followed by
%
6.8
34.5
55.3
3.4
100.0
Severe
Preeclampsia(n=25)
No
%
3
12
9
36
11
44.0
2
8.0
25
100.0
giddiness (3%), epigastric pain (3%) and
blurring of vision (3%).
Out of 100 PIH cases, 23 cases had
thrombocytopenia. Only two cases of severe
preeclampsia had platelet count of less than
50000/mm3 and two cases (8%) had platelet
count of 50000 to 100000 cells/mm3. (Table3)
Table 3: Platelet count in different stages of PIH.(Lakhs/ul)
Severe
Platelet
Mild GH
Severe GH
Mild Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia
count
(Lakhs/ul)
No
%
No
%
No
%
No
%
<0.5(02)
00
00
00
00
00
00
02
08
0.5-1(06)
02
5.4
00
00
02
6.8
02
08
1-1.5(15)
03
8.1
02
22.3
01
3.4
09
36
1.5-4.5(77)
32
86.4
07
77.7
26
89.6
12
48
Total
37
100.0 9
100.0 29
100.0
25
100.0
P value=0.001**
Three cases (8.1%) of mild GH, two cases
(22.3%) of severe GH, one case (3.4%) of mild
preeclampsia and nine cases (36%) of severe
preeclampsia had platelet count of 1-1.5
lakhs/cumm. Remaining 77cases had
normal platelet count between 1.5-4.5
lakhs/cumm.(Fig1)
Figure 1: BAR CHART SHOWING PLATELET COUNT IN PIH CASES.
(No. of cases v/s severity of cases)
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Kumar P. et. al.
Study of Platelet Indices in Pregnancy Induced…
Upon statistical analysis P value
<0.001 was obtained between normal
platelet count and thrombocytopenia.
severe GH, 12 cases (41.4%) of mild
preeclampsia, 19 cases (76%) of severe
preeclampsia
cases,
which
has
got
significant p value of 0.006. (Table- 4)
MPV was increased in 12 cases
(32.4%) of mild GH, six cases (66.7%) of
Table 4: Combined chart of platelet indices (MPV (fL), PDW (fL) and PLCR (%))
Platelt indices
MPV (fL)

8-12

>12
PDW (fL)

9-14

>14
PLCR %

15-35

>35
No
%
No
%
No
%
Severe
Preeclampsia
(n=25)
No
%
25
67.6
3
33.3
17
58.6
6
24.0
12
32.4
6
66.7
12
41.4
19
76.0
25
12
67.6
32.4
7
2
77.8
22.2
12
17
41.4
58.6
20
5
80.0
20.0
28
9
75.7
24.3
8
1
88.9
11.1
19
10
65.5
34.5
21
4
84.0
16.0
Mild GH
(n=37)
Severe GH
(n=9)
Mild Preeclampsia
(n=29)
P value for MPV-0.006*
12 cases(32.4%) of mild GH, two
cases(22.2%) of severe GH,17 cases(58.6%)
of mild preeclampsia and five cases(20%) of
severe pre-eclampsia had increased PDW
more than 14 fl. Only nine cases(24.3%) of
mild GH, one case(11.1%) of severe GH, 10
cases(34.5%) of mild preeclampsia and four
cases(16%) of severe preeclampsia had PLCR
of >35.
PDW, PLCR were statistically found
to be not significant. So thrombocytopenia is
an important impending sign for PIH going
for preeclampsia and eclampsia.
DISCUSSION
Pre-eclampsia is one of the major
cause of maternal and perinatal mortality
and morbidity worldwide, particularly in
developing countries.[16]
Preeclampsia
affects approximately 6% of all pregnancies,
more often in primigravidas in the age group
of 20-30 years. Preeclampsia accounts for
17.6% of maternal deaths in the United
States.[17]
Approximately 50% of patients with
preeclampsia
will
develop
thrombocytopenia. Severity will be usually
proportionate to that of the underlying
pathology. But in few cases, the onset of
thrombocytopenia
precedes
other
manifestations of preeclampsia.[18]
Though
the
pathogenesis
of
thrombocytopenia
in
patients
with
preeclampsia is not well understood, recent
studies
suggest
that
the
megakaryocytopoiesis impairment as a
pathogenic factor.[19, 20]
In the present study a total of 100
PIH cases referred to the department of
pathology from ANC clinic were evaluated for
platelet indices. Majority of the cases were in
the age group of 26-30 years with mean of
25±3.02
which
is
comparable
to
Vamsheedhar et al,[13] Shivakumar S et al.[21]
and Prakash J et al.[22] studies with mean age
of
24.57±3.46, 24.3 and
24.75±3.360
respectively, however in Onisai et al study he
observed that the mean age of PIH was 29.8
years.[23]
In the present study 61% of PIH were
of primigravidas and 53% of cases were
preeclampsia as compared to other studies
like Prakash et.al. With 44%,[22] Audiebert et
al. with 53.5% [24] and Jahromi et al. with
56% of cases.[25]
In the our study mean platelet count
in pre-eclampsia was 1.7 Lakhs/cu mm
which is comparable to Indian studies done
by Vamsheedhar et al [13] and Mohapatra et
al, which were showing 1.5 Lakhs/cu mm
and 1.8 Lakhs/cu mm respectively.[26] Mean
platelet count in GH was 1.95 Lakhs/cu mm
which is agreeable with Kulkarni et al,Dube
Indian Journal of Pathology and Oncology, January – March 2015;2(1);25-30
28
Kumar P. et. al.
Study of Platelet Indices in Pregnancy Induced…
et al and FitzGerald studies. However Anila
et al.[27] and Vrunda et al.[28] observed very
low platelet count of 1.2 Lakhs/ cu mm&1.4
Lakhs/cu mm respectively.
eclampsia, so it is advised to monitor platelet
count, which is a simple, economical and
rapid investigation to monitor the progress of
PIH.
In our study MPV was increased in
49% of PIH cases, PDW was increased in
36% of PIH cases and PLCR was increased in
24% of PIH cases. Of these only the MPV
values were found to be statistically
significant.
CONCLUSION
Analysing the above observations we
can arrive at a conclusion that the
thrombocytopenia
worsens
as
PIH
progresses from gestational hypertention to
Thrombocytopenia is identified as
the most common complications of PIH and
at times may be life threatening. Therefore
estimation of platelet indices can be
considered as an early, simple and rapid
procedure in the assessment of severity of
pre-eclampsia and to prevent progression to
HELLP syndrome and DIC.
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